a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »
An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.
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against the grain »
To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface.
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all fur coat and no knickers »
Of superficial appearance and with no real substance beneath.
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all mouth and no trousers »
Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
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all mouth and trousers »
Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
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bad penny »
A counterfeit or damaged penny.
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balancing act »
A performance that involves balancing things precariously and suspensefully.
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bang up job »
Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.
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bat a thousand »
To achieve perfection.
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beam up »
To be teleported over a long distance by means of a specific imaginary technology, specifically from the surface of a planet to an orbiting starship.
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bear up »
To endure hardship cheerfully.
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beat Banaghan »
An Irish saying of one who tells wonderful stories, or of something which is amazing and remarkable.
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better than sex »
Superlative; wonderful.
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big break »
A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.
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big gun »
Someone who is powerful or influential most often in plural form.
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black magic »
Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.
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blow one's chances »
To forfeit opportunities to achieve some goal.
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booby prize »
A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a contest or for poor performance.
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bottle out »
To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.
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break a leg »
A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.
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break a leg »
To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.
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brighten up »
To make cheerful.
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brim over »
To overflow over the brim.
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bring owls to Athens »
To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.
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bundle of nerves »
A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.
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busy work »
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
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butterfly upon a wheel »
An innocent person crushed by life's adversities.
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carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task despite obstacles.
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carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.
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carry water for »
To perform menial tasks for; to serve; to assist.
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cast off »
To let go a cable or rope securing a vessel to a buoy, wharf etc so that she may proceed.
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chew the scenery »
To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.
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clay »
A tennis court surface.
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close enough for government work »
It is not worth investing additional time on perfecting this thing.
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come to a head »
To suddenly make mature or perfected that which was inchoate or imperfectly formed.
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cop out »
To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.
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cop-out »
An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.
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cop-out »
Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.
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copious free time »
A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.
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cross someone's palm »
To give money to a person, especially as a bribe or as an inducement to perform a service.
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dead shot »
Perfect shooter
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diamond in the rough »
A person whose goodness or other positive qualities are hidden by a harsh or unremarkable surface appearance.
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different as chalk and cheese »
Two things which are superficially alike but very different in substance.
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do something with mirrors »
To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.
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do the hard yards »
To perform a difficult task or tasks.
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do the honors »
Perform a duty.
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do the honours »
Perform a duty.
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dog it »
To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.
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don't look at me »
A response indicating that one is not willing or able to perform a task.
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drag »
To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.
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drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators »
(idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.
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draw on »
To sketch or mark with pencil, crayon, etc., on a given surface.
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drive home »
With tangible or powerful demonstration.
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earn one's keep »
To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.
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eat out »
To perform cunnilingus.
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eat pussy »
To perform cunnilingus.
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every cloud has a silver lining »
In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,
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Every rose has it's thorns »
everything, even if it seems perfect, has faults
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fall behind »
To be progressively below average in performance.
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fifth wheel »
Anything superfluous or unnecessary.
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fill somebody's shoes »
To do somebody's job; to perform or assume somebody's role.
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fit as a fiddle »
Perfectly fit; in excellent health.
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flower »
Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.
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force of habit »
An act that has been repeated to the point where the performance of the act becomes automatic.
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funny money »
Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.
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get in someone's hair »
To hinder someone or interfere with their actions.
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get into trouble »
To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.
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get off »
To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.
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gild the lily »
To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.
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give head »
To perform oral sex on another person.
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give somebody an earful »
To shout very loudly at someone.
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go down »
To perform oral sex.
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go to work »
To begin performing some task or work.
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good drunk »
A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.
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hardwired »
Designed to perform a specific task.
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have butterflies in one's stomach »
To be nervous, uncertain, or anxious.
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hold one's own »
To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.
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hole in one »
Any rare, wonderful, or remarkable accomplishment.
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if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle »
(colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations."We would have won the match if we'd had a decent goalkeeper.""And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!"
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in the hot seat »
Under pressure to perform; under scrutiny; at the center of attention.
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keep one's pecker up »
Remain cheerful; keep smiling.
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kick off the team »
In sports, to dismiss an athlete from a team, usually for misconduct, poor academic performance or other offenses.
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king »
A powerful or influential person.
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knock up »
To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See knock-up.
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la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »
The drop of water that makes the vase overflow.
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labor of love »
A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.
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lick out »
To perform cunnilingus on.
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lighten up »
To become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.
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live it up »
To have a wonderful life; to live fully and have fun.
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love is blind »
A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person who is loved.
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many hands make light work »
A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.
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meatball surgery »
A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.
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mess up »
To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.
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mess up »
To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.
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mess with »
To interfere.
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might makes right »
The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.
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mike up »
To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.
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mind one's own business »
To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.
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muscle in »
To interfere, or intrude forcibly.
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muscle in on »
To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.
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nobody's perfect »
Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best
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odd and curious »
A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.
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off one's game »
Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.
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off one's game »
Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.
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off the hook »
Performing extraordinarily well.
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on ice »
Performed by ice skaters as an ice show.
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on the bubble »
Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.
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one-hit wonder »
A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.
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one-night stand »
An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.
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one-trick pony »
A performing animal that knows only one trick.
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out of character »
Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.
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out of character »
Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.
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out of this world »
Exceptionally high quality; wonderful; marvellous.
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over one's head »
Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.
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palm off »
To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.
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peel grapes »
To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.
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perfect storm »
A powerful hurricane or other major weather disturbance, especially as produced by a combination of meteorological conditions.
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perfect storm »
A situation where a calamity is caused by the convergence and amplifying interaction of a number of factors.
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pinch-hit »
To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.
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practice makes perfect »
If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.
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prime of life »
The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.
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punch bowl waterfall »
A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.
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put across »
To perform a theatrical production.
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put by »
To perform an action without attracting attention.
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rise up »
To rise to the surface.
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rose-coloured »
Cheerfully optimistic.
|
round of applause »
An outburst of clapping among a group or audience. Often asked for by the Master of Ceremonies at a concert or other performance.
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run away »
To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.
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run for one's money »
A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.
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run over »
To overflow.
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scarf down »
To eat something quickly.
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scratch the surface »
To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.
|
set down »
Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.
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shape up or ship out »
To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.
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shoot oneself in the foot »
To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.
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show up »
To outperform or one-up, often in an arrogant manner.
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showstopper »
A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.
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silver surfer »
An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.
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sing soprano »
To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.
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skin deep »
superficial
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soft shoe »
A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.
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some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you »
One cannot always overcome a powerful adversary.
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spic and span »
Perfectly clean.
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spill over »
To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.
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spring in one's step »
Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.
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square meal »
A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.
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stick one's nose in »
To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.
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straight man »
A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.
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strut one's stuff »
To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.
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sugarcoated »
Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.
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swan song »
A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.
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take a bow »
To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.
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take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »
If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,
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take down »
To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.
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take the shadow for the substance »
To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.
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talk like an apothecary »
To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
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tear up the pea patch »
To put on a notable performance, especially in sports; to go on a rampage.
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the bee's knees »
Most excellent; surpassingly wonderful; cool.
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the icing on the cake »
Something wonderful at the end of something good.
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the salt of the earth »
wonderful
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think tank »
A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.
|
throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.
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throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn
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throw out »
To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.
|
time and material »
A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.
|
tin ear »
Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.
|
to a fare-thee-well »
To the greatest extent or to completion; to a state of refinement or perfection.
|
to a T »
Precisely; exactly; perfectly; with great attention to detail.
|
to be the cat's whiskers »
To perform better than was generally supposed possible.
|
touch a nerve »
To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.
|
touch up »
To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.
|
track record »
An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.
|
trick out »
To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.
|
tune up »
To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.
|
turf war »
A dispute over territory between rival gangs.
|
turf war »
A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.
|
turn a trick »
To perform a sexual service for a customer.
|
turn into a pumpkin »
Used to indicate a curfew, or the time by which one must depart.
|
twenty-twenty hindsight »
Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.
|
two birds with one stone »
Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.
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under the gun »
Under great pressure to perform.
|
unring a bell »
To perform the impossible.
|
victory at sea »
Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.
|
war bride »
A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.
|
warts and all »
Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.
|
way out of a paper bag »
A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.
|
wee small hours »
He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.
|
whistle past the graveyard »
To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.
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wing it »
To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.
|
work the room »
To interact with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.
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